* Please note that this SOM (State Of Medway Report) was last updated in July 2009. * Please also see our LDF evidence base studies. In some instances, these significantly update the information contained within SOM’s. State of Medway Report: Infrastructure August 2009 State of Medway Reports…………………………………………………………………………………… 1 1. SETTING THE CONTEXT……………………………………………………………………………… 1 Medway in outline……………………………………………………………………………………… 1 Population……………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 Employment…………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Tourism………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 2. RECREATION AND LEISURE………………………………………………………………………… 7 Allotments……………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Indoor Sports Facilities………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Outdoor Sports Pitches……………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Other Outdoor Sports Facilities………………………………………………………………………. 11 Parks…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 Play Areas………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12 3. EMERGENCY SERVICES………………………………………………………………………………. 13 Police……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 13 Fire……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13 Ambulance………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14 4. ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE…………………………………………………………… 16 Natural Areas…………………………………………………………………………………………… 17 Special Protection Areas, Ramsar Sites and Special Areas of Conservation…………………… 17 Sites of Special Scientific Interest……………………………………………………………………. 18 Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites……………………………………. 18 Local Nature Reserves………………………………………………………………………………… 19 Local Wildlife Sites…………………………………………………………………………………… 19 Ancient Woodlands……………………………………………………………………………………. 19 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty………………………………………………………………… 20 Landscape Character Areas………………………………………………………………………… 20 Other Open Space……………………………………………………………………………………… 21 5. CONNECTIVITY………………………………………………………………………………………….. 23 Telecom and Broadband Services……………………………………………………………………. 23 Telephone Masts……………………………………………………………………………………….. 23 6. TRANSPORT……………………………………………………………………………………………… 25 Highways………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25 Car Use………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26 Rail……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27 Bus……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27 Coach Travel……………………………………………………………………………………………. 28 Cycling Facilities……………………………………………………………………………………… 28 Parking………………………………………………………………………………………………… 28 Rights of Way and Gateways…………………………………………………………………………. 28 Sea, Docks and Wharfs……………………………………………………………………………… 30 Rochester Airport……………………………………………………………………………………….. 32 7. EDUCATION AND LEARNING…………………………………………………………………………. 33 Sure Start Centres……………………………………………………………………………………… 33 Childcare………………………………………………………………………………………………… 33 School Education………………………………………………………………………………………. 35 Higher Education……………………………………………………………………………………….. 37 Adult Education…………………………………………………………………………………………. 38 8. COMMUNITY SERVICES……………………………………………………………………………….. 39 Crematoriums and Cemeteries……………………………………………………………………….. 39 Community Centres……………………………………………………………………………………. 39 Libraries ………………………………………………………………………………………………….40 Council Contact Points ………………………………………………………………………………….42 Places of Worship ……………………………………………………………………………………….43 Voluntary Sector …………………………………………………………………………………………43 Post Offices ………………………………………………………………………………………………44 Custodial Services ………………………………………………………………………………………45 Youth Services ………………………………………………………………………………………….47 9. ENVIRONMENTAL INFRASTRUCTURE ………………………………………………………………48 Refuse Collection and Recycling ………………………………………………………………………48 Flood Prevention ………………………………………………………………………………………49 10. HEALTH CARE ……………………………………………………………………………………………51 Primary Care in Medway ……………………………………………………………………………….51 General Practitioners (GP) …………………………………………………………………………….51 Healthy Living Centres and Health Centres ………………………………………………………….52 Dentists ………………………………………………………………………………………………….53 Pharmacies and Opticians …………………………………………………………………………….54 Secondary Care in Medway ……………………………………………………………………………54 11. SOCIAL CARE …………………………………………………………………………………………….56 Adult Social Care ……………………………………………………………………………………….56 Young People’s Social Care …………………………………………………………………………57 12. UTILITIES ………………………………………………………………………………………………….58 Water Supply …………………………………………………………………………………………….58 Waste Water …………………………………………………………………………………………….59 Gas ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….59 Electricity …………………………………………………………………………………………………60 Renewable energy ………………………………………………………………………………………61 13. BUILT ENVIRONMENT …………………………………………………………………………………63 Conservation Areas …………………………………………………………………………………….63 Historic Buildings ………………………………………………………………………………………..63 Table of Figures Figure Type Name Page Figure 1.1 Graph Population projections by ward 3 Figure 2.1 Map Allotment Sites in Medway 7 Figure 2.2 Table Cost of Allotment Site Rental 7 Figure 2.3 Map Leisure Centres and Indoor Facilities 9 Figure 2.4 Table Playing Pitch Demand and Supply Analysis 2002 10 Figure 2.5 Table Playing Pitch Supply and Demand Forecast 2016 11 Figure 3.1 Map Police Area Map 14 Figure 3.2 Map Medway West Police Zones 14 Figure 3.3 Map Medway Central Police Zones 14 Figure 3.4 Map Medway East Police Zones 14 Figure 3.5 Map Fire Stations in Medway (Insert showing Kent Fire and Rescue Divisions) 15 Figure 4.1 Map Natural Areas in Medway 18 Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites, Sites of Special Figure 4.2 Map 19 Scientific Interest and Special Protection Areas Figure 4.3 Map Local nature reserves, local wildlife sites and ancient woodland 21 Figure 4.4 Map Landscape character areas 22 Figure 5.1 Map Telecom exchanges serving Medway and their coverage 24 Figure 5.2 Map Location of telecom masts in Medway 25 Figure 6.1 Map Medway’s strategic transport network 26 Figure 6.2 Map Major vehicular movement in Medway 27 Figure 6.3 Graph Mode of travel to work for people in Medway 28 Figure 6.4 Map Summary of Public Rights of Way in Medway 30 Figure 6.5 Table Public Rights of Way network 30 Figure 6.6 Table Summary of Thamesport facilities and map showing location 32 Figure 6.7 Map Location of Rochester Airfield 33 Figure 7.1 Map Location of childcare provision in Medway by type 35 Figure 7.2 Table Childcare vacancies in Medway by provider type and by ward 35 Figure 7.3 Map Location of schools and higher education establishments in Medway 38 Figure 8.1 Map Locations of open church yards, cemeteries and the crematoria 40 Figure 8.2 Map Location of community centres in Medway 41 Figure 8.3 Map Location of libraries in Medway 42 Figure 8.4 Graph Percentage change of library footfall and issues by branch 2007/8 and 2008/9 43 Figure 8.5 Map Location of Council headquarters, Contact Points and Kiosks 44 Figure 8.6 Map Location of places of worship in Medway 45 Figure 8.7 Map Location of Post Offices in Medway 46 Figure 8.8 Map Custodial Services in Medway 48 Figure 9.1 Map Location of refuse centres and recycling points 50 Figure 9.2 Map Areas at risk of flooding in Medway 52 Figure 10.1 Map Location of GP practices 54 Figure 10.2 Map Location of health and healthy living centres 55 Figure 10.3 Map Location of dentists in Medway 56 Figure 10.4 Map Location of pharmacies and opticians in Medway 57 Figure 12.1 Map Groundwater sources in Medway 61 Figure 12.2 Map Electricity Network 63 Figure 12.3 Map Renewable Energy Planning Applications 64 Figure 13.1 Map Historic Buildings and Conservation Areas 65 Infrastructure State of Medway Reports This is one of a series of factual reports that are being produced to inform the preparation of Medway’s Local Development Framework or LDF. Each deals with a specific topic and draws together available information from a variety of sources. The reports are intended to establish the current position and a baseline for further work. They also help in highlighting gaps in the information base. We would be pleased to hear from any interested party about any information sources that have not been referred to or gaps that should be addressed in future work. At this preliminary stage no attempt has been made to identify issues arising from this research or options for addressing such issues. That will follow over the next few months but we would be happy to receive any initial suggestions now. If you would like to comment on or respond to this report please use one of the methods set out in our ‘Engagement Protocol’, which is being widely publicised. To monitor progress being made on the LDF please regularly check our website at www.medway.gov.uk/ldf. Development Plans & Research Team Regeneration, Community & Culture Medway Council Gun Wharf Dock Road Chatham Kent ME4 4TR Email: [email protected] 1. SETTING THE CONTEXT Medway in outline 1.1 Medway is a unitary authority based on the north Kent coast. At the heart of the Thames Gateway, only 30 miles from central London, Medway is the largest conurbation between the capital and continental Europe. The authority was made up of the Rochester upon Medway City Council and Gillingham Council, which merged in 1999. 1.2 Medway covers a total of 26,866 hectares. While 88 per cent of Medway’s population lives in the urban areas, half of the land is rural. Medway boasts eight internationally or nationally designated areas of nature conservation. It had good access to the main road and rail network, lying north of the M20 with the M2 cutting through the west of the authority. The area is served by good rail connections to London and by 2011 will benefit from the high-speed rail link. Medway LDF 2008 State of Medway Report 1 Infrastructure